El Paso union giant Juan Aranda Jr., remembered as great leader

Long-time El Paso union leader Juan Aranda Jr., who for years represented workers at the former Asarco copper smelter in El Paso, died recently at age 90 after a long illness.

Texas state Sen. Jose Rodriguez, D-El Paso, in a Facebook post, called Aranda a giant in El Paso's labor movement.

"Better known in our community as 'El General,' (Aranda) was a major force in building El Paso's steelworkers' union," Rodriguez said.

Hector Arellano, 70, a retired electrician and long-time leader of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 583, said Aranda was called "The General because he is the man we (union organizers) would all follow for directions."

He was a tough negotiator who was not afraid to speak his mind, said Arellano, who represented electrical workers at Asarco when Aranda was representing the majority of the smelter's workers.

"He had no college degrees. But he had common sense, and a heart for the working people," Arellano said.

"People seem to have forgotten about him. He helped so many in organized labor," Arellano said. He also was very active in organizing union members to work for political candidates, he said.

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Aranda, who was born in Mexico, served in the Army during World War II, and eventually got a job at Asarco, where he worked for 27 years, said his son, David Aranda.

He organized the first union at the Asarco smelter, his son said.

He was head of the United Steelworkers Union Local 509 for many years before becoming a national representative for the union and traveling around the country as a union organizer, David Aranda said. He retired at age 75.

David Aranda, 54, became a union leader himself, serving as president of the El Paso Central Labor Union, an umbrella organization for El Paso unions, for 13 years. Now, he is manager of El Paso Electric's Newman power plant.

"My dad never pushed me to get involved in unions," David Aranda said. But his father had him and his two sisters passing out political pamphlets at an early age, he remembered.

"He was a great leader. He led everyone in the direction they needed to go for the betterment of people," David Aranda said. "Best of all, he was a great father."

Juan Aranda was married for 34 years to Teresa Aranda, who died in 1990. In addition to David, the Arandas had two other children, Norma Saenz, of Buda, Texas, and Patricia Duran, of El Paso, who is chief nursing officer at Sierra Providence East Medical Center. Juan and Teresa Aranda also are survived by three grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Juan Aranda, who died June 20, was buried last week at Fort Bliss National Cemetery.

"He will always be remembered in the walls of our unions and our hearts," said Martha Sanchez, 62, business agent for Teamsters Union Local 745 in El Paso. She said Juan Aranda was a mentor for her when she joined the Teamsters in 1986. "He did a lot for his membership, and his community."